The Negotiating Committee is providing this update to the AMFA Membership at Southwest Airlines. This report is the only official authorized source of negotiating communications by the Committee.

The AMFA Negotiating Committee and the Company met on Monday, November 18, 2013, to begin the final Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) negotiation session for the year. The Company scheduled Monday afternoon to present their Comprehensive Disability and Retiree Program. Greg Thorsen made the presentation for the Company. In the name of good faith bargaining, we again agreed to the Company’s request which took valuable time away from the negotiating process for yet another presentation in an attempt to “set the stage” prior to their next concessionary proposal. When we receive their actual proposal on this issue, we can comment further. Similarly, the Company indicated that upon return to the table in January, they wish to utilize scheduled negotiating time to present another proposal to “set the stage” for their ask on Article II.

We began Tuesday discussing the Technical Support Mechanics’ Letter of Agreement (LOA) No. 8 and its incorporation into Article 4, Classifications. After discussing our intents for the future of this workgroup, we caucused as a Committee to craft a “Classifications” proposal based on the body of LOA No. 8. Surprisingly, the Company resisted this straightforward proposal indicating their belief that LOA No. 8 was temporary and that the Company’s understanding was that this group would simply disappear over time. We do not share this interpretation.

After lunch the Company presented their Article 6, Overtime and Holidays proposal. Some of the proposed changes include: reducing the minimum amount of overtime paid from one hour (short hour) to one half-hour; introducing a new 20 hour duty limit (excluding emergency field service where they will monitor your fatigue status by telephone); a 48 hour delay for the administration of adding overtime hours; introducing “qualifications” required to be eligible to work overtime in a bid location giving them “the right to require specific qualifications for any bid location;” and they also proposed to delete any paid rest. We finished Tuesday by giving the Company our Article 11, Vacations counter proposal which included: a sixth week after twentieth year; a seventh week after twenty-fifth year; ability to defer up to two years of accrued vacation; and expand the option to sell back vacation from the current 40 hours to 200 hours per year.

At this point, the Company has offered a mere two days per month in 2014 to continue AMT negotiations. We accepted all of those dates and continue to press the Company for more time. In addition, we have requested, where possible, the Company allow additional time if they wish to continue delivery of its “presentations.” We are committed to the membership and this process. We appreciate your support and value your input.